Sports

118-125: Nuggets’ MVP Jokic kicked out, Suns make Western Conference finals

Sports Desk, Jun 14 (EFE).- The Phoenix Suns eliminated the Denver Nuggets by 118-125 during the NBA Western Conference semifinals, in which regular season MVP Nikola Jokic was kicked out of the game for striking Cameron Payne in the face.

The Suns proved to be a balanced contender, with solid defensive and offensive tactics, while George Paul and David Booker effectively countered Jokic’s game, allowing them to disqualify the Nuggets with a firm 4-0 lead.

Nuggets’ heavy hitter Jokic was kicked out of the game only 3.52 minutes before the end of the third quarter due to a flagrant foul 2, when he violently struck Payne’s face.

Jokic cleanly swept the ball from Payne’s hands, but the Serbian center’s arm hit the Suns’ point guard in the face prompting his immediate expulsion from the court due to the unnecessary and excessive nature of the contact.

As Payne dramatically fell on the floor, Booker confronted Jokic, in a face off causing the uproar of the 18,290-strong Denver Ball Arena and earning him a technical foul.

Jokic’s action was clearly driven by frustration, following a missed shot and officials not calling what he considered a foul.

The Suns will move onto the Western Conference finals, in which they will go against the winner of the Los Angeles Clippers v. Utah Jazz series. EFE

jcr/lv/jt

Related Articles

Back to top button